Moonlit Grounds

Chapter 7

Ginny's eyelids fluttered open. A thin stream of light was shining right on her eye. She reached up to completely close the curtains surrounding the bed. Then she noticed the curtains were a dark green, not a dark red. Then she noticed the arms still around her waist. Then she noticed Draco Malfoy was the owner of those arms.

She stared at him in wide-eyed disbelief at what she had done. All the memories of the previous night came rushing back, but she was still missing some time. She didn't remember how she had gotten to Draco's bed. She snuggled back up to Draco, not really caring what had happened the previous night. It just felt good to feel safe.

*

Draco was sitting at the table in Malfoy Manner with Lucius in front of him and Ginny on his right side. They were silent except for the occasional clatter of the beautiful silverware. Lucius wasn't eating anything. He was staring at Draco. Ginny finally stood up and screamed, "Get out of this house right now!" Lucius ran out of the room with fear in his eyes. Ginny sat back down and suddenly they were on the Quidditch pitch holding each other's hands and laughing. "You have the most beautiful smile," Draco whispered in Ginny's ear. She smiled even more.

She was still smiling. Draco found himself still thinking the same thought about her smile. It was beautiful. He had never seen her smile like that before.

He brushed her hair back from her eyes, as she leaned over him. Who could have known her flaming red hair was so soft? She blushed at his affectionate touch and sat up.

"Thank you, Draco. I'm not quite sure what exactly happened, but I know you took care of me, so... thanks." She sat cross-legged at the end of his bed, feeling awkward.

"I would never hesitate to help you, Ginny. As for what happened? I have no idea. You passed out and I carried you back to my room...I hope you don't mind."

"I was surprised to wake up here, but it's ok. I felt safe with you; it was nice." She shrugged her shoulders, trying to slip the compliment past him.

"When I laid you down you started to mummer quietly. I couldn't make all of it out, but you definitely screamed the name 'Tom'. You sort of woke up after that and said something about he was going to do something again, and you didn't want him to, or something like that. Then you fell asleep again." Draco watched as her face changed from curiosity to a realization.

Ginny felt a chill run through her. Draco noticed this and hugged her tight.

"Draco? How long was it from when I fainted, to when I fell asleep in here?"

A grunt was suddenly heard from another bed in the room and Ginny gasped in horror.

"Don't worry, I charmed Crabbe and Goyle. They won't be waking up until late afternoon." Ginny breathed a sigh of relief, and climbed back under the covers with Draco. She was suddenly tired again, and didn't want to think about what had occurred. She yawned and rested her head on Draco's shoulder, as he rubbed her back.

"Draco? Is this too strange for us?"

His eyes locked into her chestnut ones and searched deep for an answer.

He found his answer when she gently placed her lips on his.

"No. It isn't strange at all."

She smiled.

"I had never seen your smile before. It's so beautiful, Ginny. You're so beautiful." He captured her lips again. They both resigned to each other's touch and left reality behind.

*

It was just after noon when Ginny woke up. She still felt this nagging sensation in the back of her mind, almost like she was forgetting something. She slipped out of Draco's embrace and made sure the coast was clear before she left the enclosed bed. To her small delight, she saw the other two boys drooling like dogs on their pillows. Grabbing her robe, she stole silently from the room

Getting out of the common room proved more dangerous than she had thought. As she was crossing in front of the stone fireplace, the entrance opened. Ginny quickly ducked behind a large bookcase that was standing off to the side, hoping it would conceal her. In stepped Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini.

"You're too much man for me, Blaise," Pansy cooed seductively to the handsome Slytherin.

"I have no problem skipping our shagging sessions," he said severely.

"We can't have any of that, I assure you!" Pansy proceeded to wrap her arms around Blaise's neck and pull him in for a wet-looking kiss.

He quickly pushed her away saying, "You bloody whore! What if someone else was in here?"

"I don't care, Blaise. I want you so bad, why does it matter?"

He started walking away toward the boys' dormitory, when he noticed that a red and gold scarf was lying on the ground. He slowly picked it up and glanced around the common room.

"What is a bloody Gryffindor scarf doing down here?" Pansy asked crisply.

"Don't know. Maybe Draco decided to corrupt some of the Gryffindor virgins. I wouldn't mind getting a piece of that action, in fact." With that he disappeared into his own dormitory with the scarf, leaving a very jealous Pansy fuming. She muttered something about "Bloody boys," then took off into her own dormitory.

Ginny breathed a sigh of relief once they both were gone. She hadn't realized that she had dropped her scarf, while searching frantically for a hiding spot. She stood up from behind the bookcase where she was huddled and stretched her legs. After that, she took no more chances and quickly exited the Slytherin territory.

Back in the Gryffindor common room, there were a few students working on homework and a particularly rough game of wizard's chess going on in a corner, but for the most part it was quiet. Ginny went up to her own room to find it empty. She silently thanked heaven that everyone was out.

Slipping off her clothes, she slid into the hot bath that the house elves were able to conjure up for her at a moment's notice. She felt the heat envelope her and soon she was drifting through her own thoughts.

Sleep quickly took her in. She was seeing Draco again and he was smiling. He led her into a warm bed, but the bed soon turned cold. She reached for him but he was gone. She sat up to find herself in a large, dark stone chamber.

She was no stranger to this room. She had seen it too many times. A cold hand clamped down on her shoulder. She could feel herself begin to wake, but the dream wouldn't let go. She tried to struggle to wake up and leave this dream behind, but a cold, deep voice reeled her back in.

Virginia, don't struggle. You've been away for so long, you don't have the resistance anymore. Come to me, Virginia.

And there he was. He stood in front of her, making her feel powerless and weak.

Tom, please, no. Don't come to me anymore. Leave me be. She felt one last surge of energy come through her, fighting him with every ounce of it, and then there was black.

*

"Draco? What the hell do you think you're doing? What kind of night did you have last night?" Blaise shoved the curtains open on Draco, as he blinked out the sudden, blinding sunlight.

"What're you talking about?" Draco mumbled groggily as he sat up.

Blaise held up the scarf and smirked. "Who was it? Was it that idiot, Lavender? Or the twin Parvati? She quite a hotty, but I've also heard she's quite a slut."

"Where'd you find that?" Draco was trying to keep his voice indifferent, but he couldn't help the concern for Ginny flooding his mind.

"Outside the boys dormitory. Now do tell. I'm sick of the Slytherin whore, Pansy. God, when will she move on?" He rolled his eyes in disgust.

"I didn't have a girl in here, especially not a Gryffindor one. Maybe Crabbe or Goyle got a little frisky?" Draco suggested as he laughed at the thought.

Blaise smiled and then went towards the door.

"I know you're lying, so I'll let you keep the scarf. But really Draco, a Gryffindor? They must have something you really want." He tossed the scarf to Draco and exited the room.

Draco trailed his fingers along the wooly scarf, wondering where Ginny was.